Piano-zither.



PATBNTED MAY 28, 1907.

J. JUSZCZESKI.

PIANO ZITHBR. APPLICATION FILED JULYzo, 190e.

1m: .vonnis Pneu cn nusumamlv, n. c.

JOI-IN .IUSZCZESKL OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PIANO-ZITHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Applica-tion filed July 20,1906. Serial No, 327,051.

T0 IJ/Z 'wl/mnt 7275 711/607/ con/cerro;

Be it known that I, Jol-IN Juszcznsiti, a

l citizen ot the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Piano-Zithers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a musical instrument combining in its structure the l'eatures ot an ordinary Zither and a piano movement for some ot the strings, and so arranged that a portion of the strings can be played by the hand of the operator direct and the remaining portieri through the striking of keys by which the hammers or strikers can be made to engage thestrings.

The objects ot the invention are to construct a musical instrument adapted to be played by hand and by the striking ot hammers against a portion ot the strings; to enable the hammer struck strings to give a clear note or to produce a trill, as may bc dcsired; to so attach the hammers and their operating devices as to enable the hammers to be removed without destroying the operativeness et the musical instrument vlier use by hand; and to improve generally the construction and arrangement of the several parts entering into the Vformation of the musical instrument as a whole.

The invention consists in the 'features of construction and combination oi parts hereinafter described and claimed as new.

In the drawings Figure I. is a. top or plan view with the plate carrying the hammer-operating keys partly broken away; Fig. i? a longitudinal section on line 2--2 ot Fig. l; Fig. 3 a detail showing the bottom or under side of the end ot the plate and the support 'for the hanime-rs with the Contact plate tor the hammer springs partly broken away; Fig. 4 a detail in section on line elw-4, ot Fig. l.; and Fig. 5 a perspective view ot one of the hammers and its striking key,

The instrument, in the construction shown, has a bottom plate l with a surrounding wall 2 and a top plate 3 with a sound opening 4 therein; and these parts7 l. 2 and 23, constitute the base of the instrument. The top plate 3, at one end, has mounted tl'ierein a series ot stems or arbors '5 tor the attachment of the ends of the treble strings 6, and the strings 6 extend over a bridge piece or support 7 carrying a wire S, and lie against a stop pin 9, and each string extends lengthwise ot the instrument and passes over a bridge l() with a wire ll, and its end is attached to a stem l2 or other suitable attaching means. The top plate 3, at one end, has a series ot stems or arbors 13 mounted therein, and each stem or arbor has attached thereto the end ot a bass string I4, and the bass strings 14A run over a bridge l5 and a wire 16 on the bridge and lie against a stop pin 17, and each'bass string extends lengthwise of the instrument and passes over a bridge and wire similar to the bridge l() and wire l 1 et the treble strings, and each bass string is attached to a stem l2 or other fastening means.

A support IS, having a top strip I9, is attached to the end ol' the base o'lE the instrument, and a post or upright 20, having a strip 2l, extends up from the top plate f ol the base, as shown in Fig. 2. A plate 22 is attached to the strip ZI by a screw 22% or otherwise and is attached to the end support 1S by hooks 24`iiiivotally mounted on the end piece 18, and a pin 25 projecting out Afrom the end plate 3o', and this top plate 22 furnishes a support for the hammers and their striking keys. The top plate 22 has two series ol holes 26, and through each hole a stem 27 passes, as shown in Fig, 2. Each stem has a head or cap piece 28, and is attached to a swinging block or head 29, and the several blocks 2.0 are pivotally mounted on a cross head 3() so that, by striking down the stems 27, the struck stem will depress the 'free end ot the block 29 to operate a hammer or striker. As many keys and stems and as many swinging heads or blocks 2Q are provided as strings Alior the treble section ol' the instrument, and the heads or caps olE the stems havn` numerals indicating which treble string will be actuated by striking the key having the number thereongwthat is, the stem having the cap No. l will cause the hammer to strike the treble string No. I, and so on up to the limit ot the number of treble strings.

Each swinging head or block 29 has secured thereto or engaged therewith a vllat spring 3l., and each spring is turned on itsell to -form a bearing or spring end 32 which rests on a cross plate 33, preferably of metal, so as to give the necessary resiliency for returning the swinging block or head and the spring to normal position under a vibrator-y movement. The cross plate 33 has thereon a cross strip 34, preferably o'l wood, against which the spring carriers 3l strike and arrest the downward movenlent of the carriers and IOO IOS

IIO

the swinging heads or blocks. Each spring carrier' 31 has ilixed to its free end a hammer or striker 35 positioned to strike a string when the carrier is thrown down by the depression of the stem for any p articular string. 'lhehannners and the spring carriers are inclosed in a casing Aformed by the end wall or strip 36 attached to the top plate 22 and the side walls or strips 37, also attached to the top plate 22, and, as shown, the cross plate 33 and the stop 34 are attached to the side walls 37, and the pin 25 projects out `from the end Wall 36 of the casing, thus enabling the haininers and the operating devices therefor to be removed by releasing the hooks 24. and withdrawing the screw 23, enabling access to be had direct to the treble strings, iff so desired. The top plate 3 o'll the base has on each side o'l`l the opening 4 bridges 38, as usual, so that the top plate 1% forms a sounding board.

In use, the bass and treble strings are keyed to the desired scale by turning the stems 5 and 1.3, as usual in. keying up string instruments. .lhe player of the instrument operates the bass strings by the thumb or 'linger in the usual in anner, and operates the treble strings by pressing down with the 'linger the properly numbered stem for the string desired, and, by a quick release of the stem, the player can obtain a clean, clear note, and, by holding the ilinger on the stein so as to keep the striker or hammer in contact with the sti'iiig, a trill can be produced. rllie instrument is of simple construction andcan be played even by an aniateui' or one who has no gi'eat amount of musical genius or understanding.

lhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a piano Zither, the combination of a base consisting' oi" top, bottom, side and end walls inclosing a chamber, a series oi bass strings and a series or treble strings, both series of strings above the top wall of the base, a series of resilient vibratable carriers located above the series of treble strings one carrier' Vfor each treble string, a support for one end of each carrier, each carrier having at its supported end a return bend to form a spring, a hammer Vtor and attached to the free end of each carrier, and means Afor vibrating the carriers and causing the hammers to strike the strings, substantially as desci'ibed.

2. In. a piano Zither, the combination oic a base consisting of top, bottom, side and end walls inclosiiig a chamber, a series of bass strings and a series of treble strings, both series of strings above the top wall of the base, an upper plate covering the trebley strings, a series of depressible stems eXtend.-

ing above and through the upper' plate, one stem tor each treble string, a series of swinging blocks underneath the upper plate, one

block 'lor and connected with each stein, a resilient vibratable carrier lor and engaged.

l l i with each swinging block, a support lier one end of each carrier, each carrier having at ils supported end a return bend to forni a spring', and a hammer for and attached to the l'ree end olt each carrier, substantially as described..

3. In a piano Zither, the ('.oi'nbination ot a base consisting olt top, bottom, side and end walls iiiclosing a chan'iber, a sei'ies olt bass strings and a series of treble strings, both sei'ies 0i strings above the top wall ol'` the base, an upper plate covering the treble strings, a series ol depi'essible stems extending above and through the upper plate, one stein lor each treble string, a cap For each stem with a designating character tor a treble string, a series of' swinging blocks underneath the upper plate, one block for and conmxcted with each stein, a resilient vibratable carrier for and engaged witheach swinging block, a support l'or one end. ot' each carrier, each carrier having at its supported end a return bend to lorni a spring, and a hammer for and attached. to lhe free end ol each carrier, substantially as described.

4. In a piano Zither, the combination ol. a base consisting of top, bottom, side and end walls iiiclosiiig a chamber, a series of bass strings and a sei'ies of treble strings, both sei'ies or strings above the top wall olf` the base, an upper plate covering the treble strings, a series or' depressible stems extending above and through the upper plate, one stein 'lor each treble string, a series of swinging blocks underneath the upper plate, one block for and connected. with each stein, a vibratable spring carrier lfor and engaged with each swinging block, a support -lor one end olf each carrier, each cari'iei' having at its supported end a return bend to `liorin the spring, and a hammer 'for and attached to the free end of each. spring carrier, substantially dcsci'ibed.

5. fln a piano Zither, theV combination ol a base consisting o'l top, bottom, side and end walls inclosing a. chamber, a series o'l" bass strings and a series of treble strings, both series of strings above the top wallv of the base, an upper plate covering the treble strings, a series of depressiblc stems extending above and through the upper plate, one stein 'for each treble string, a cap lor each stein with a designating character 'for a treble string, a series of' swinging blocks underneath the upper plate, one block A[or and connected with each stein, a resilient vibratable carrier for and engaged with each swinging block, each carrier having at its supported end a return bend to forni a spring, a hannner Vtor and attached to the liree end oli each cai'rier, and a support Alior the other end of each spring cai'i'ier and located 'under the series or carriers, substantially as described.

6. ln a piano Zither, the combination. olf a base consisting of top, bottoni., side and end IOS walls inelosing a chamber, a series of bass Strings and a Series of treble strings, both series et strings above the top Wall ol the base, an upper plate Covering the treble Strings, a series o'lIV depressible Steins extendingabove and through the upper plate, one Stein for eaeh treble String, a Cap for each stein with a designating eliaraeter `for a treble string` a series of swinging bloelis underneath the upper plate, one bleek VFor and eonneeted with eaeh stein, a resilient Vibratable carrier for and engaged with ea'eh swinging bleek, eaeh carrier having at its Supported end a return bend to forni a spring, a hammer for and attached to the 'free end of eaeh carrier, a support for the other end of each Spring Carrier and loeated under the series of Carriers, and a stop loeated under and eonnnon to all of the Spring carriers, substantialbT as described,

7. In a piano Zither, the combination ol a base consisting of top, bottoin, Side and end walls inelosing a elialnber, a series of bass` strings and a series ol treble strings, both Series ol strings above the top wall of the base, an upper plate Covering the treble strings, a series ot depressible Steins eaeh Stein extending above and through the upper plate, one Stein Yfor each treble string, a eap on each stein with a designating character for a treble string, a series of swinging blocks underneath the upper plate, one bleek for and Connected with eaeh Stein, a resilient .ibratable Carrier Vfor and engaged with each swinging block7 eaeh carrier having at its Supported end a return bend to form a springv a hannner for and attached to the `free end of each Carrier, a Support for the other end of eaeh spring Carrier and located under the series ol carriers7 and a stop located under and eonnnon to all of the spring carriers, substantiallyv as deseribed.

JOHN JUSZCQESKI. litnessesz OSCAR W. BoNn, FRANCES M. FROST. 

